Don't Take No for an Answer
by Emma Peelfan
Summary: Spoilers for Control something about the way House said 'no' to Cameron's question got me thinking HouseCameron.
1. Default Chapter

**_Don't Take 'No' For an Answer_** – by Emma Peelfan

_This is my first 'House' fanfic, so please be nice. I don't own anyone involved herein (unfortunately…wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie tho…). This is done for fun and if you sued, you'd just get a co-dependent black kitten with fleas._

Spoilers for: Control (I am playing with the timeline JUST SLIGHTLY…doesn't change the result of the episode, but will come in handy if I decide to keep up with this one.) 

"They like you. Everyone likes you."

"Do you like me?"

There's a long pause as House looks at her. She suddenly realizes that a lot more is riding on his answer than simply a curiosity. " I need to know."

"No." One word. Emotionless. His eyes are serious. No smart-ass remarks will follow.

"Okay."

She walks away slowly, haltingly as her world quietly collapses around her.

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A long time later, she caught up with him as he was leaving.

"I'm not taking no for an answer," she said firmly.

"What?" He looked at her incredulously. "I would've thought it was a perfectly straightforward answer. Or have you been reading again and you're planning to manipulate a yes from me?"

"As a matter of fact," she said as she stood up straighter. "I am."

"Look Cameron," House said as he started limping for the door again. "I just had a less-than-pleasant talk with our new Chairman of the Board and I really am not in the mood for this."

"Chase told me about the ipecac," she said quietly, yet loud enough for him to hear.

He stopped and stared at her.

"You knew?"

She shrugged. "He came to see me just before the committee meeting. I was with a patient, so I couldn't talk to you at the time."

"Was he the one that passed it on to our illustrious boss?"

"I told you employees like to be reassured sometimes. He was afraid you'd fire him, so he went to the one person who would be able to help him keep his job."

"I don't need a lecture from you," House said angrily. "I noticed Chase didn't interrupt the meeting either."

"He still respects you," she said softly. "He admires you and what you were doing for her. So he waited."

"But meantime, you said you weren't going to take no for an answer. Would you mind telling me what you mean? Since I see you're planning on following me around until I agree."

"I asked if you liked me. You didn't answer me. I said I have to know and you said 'no'."

"So far, I'm not seeing anything ambiguous," House said, quietly praying she wasn't thinking what he knew she was and that she wouldn't ask.

"Did you mean 'no' you don't like me? Or 'no' I don't need to know?"

"Look, Vogler has made it very clear that he will get rid of anyone that stands in his way of getting rid of me. If I admit I actually like you, that makes you a target."

"Aren't you getting just the slightest bit paranoid?"

"No," House growled. "If I was paranoid, I'd be looking over my shoulder while wearing a tin-foil hat. And besides, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that everyone ISN'T out to get you."

"So does that mean you like me?"

"Jesus! You're just like a dog with a bone, aren't you?"

She gave him a smile that he'd be damned if he'd admit made her glow. "So, do you like me?"

"Yes," he muttered and continued out towards the parking lot, leaving her standing in the lobby with a smug grin on her face.

End

_So, whatcha think? Should I continue? Constructive criticism/glowing reviews welcomed. Flames will be shared with friends, mocked and laughed at._


	2. Me, Myself and 3 Fish

_THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your feedback! I don't own anyone involved herein (unfortunately…wouldn't mind owning Hugh Laurie tho…). This is done for fun and if you sued, you'd just get a co-dependent black kitten with fleas._

Spoilers for: None really. Well, except for the bit that he didn't really know who ratted him out and I say he did (it's my story dammit!). This is just a House POV after he gets home. I'm going on about 3 hours sleep here. It's still freakin' dark out. So hopefully it'll make sense 

_Warnings: Don't take candy from strangers_.

House sat on his sofa with his bad leg propped on the coffee table. Staring at the ceiling he was deciding was not a good distraction for the problem at hand.

Okay, you admitted you liked her. Now what do you do?

_Paint the ceiling blue?_

No, that's not going to help. If you can't come up with anything helpful, then stay out of my head.

_Not gonna happen. You're talking to yourself. Someone needs to answer or there's no point._

What are you talking about?

_Never mind. So as long as I'm stuck here in your head, let's talk about the problem at hand._

Painting the ceiling?

_Actually, I was thinking about Dr. Cameron. She's cute, isn't she? And she's head over ears for you._

I'm her boss. It would never work. She just wants to change me into her ideal man. Probably have me shopping at Brooks Brothers and learning to cook.

_You know how to cook._

You know what I mean.

_Look, if the boss thing is a problem, have her transferred off your team. Fire her, put her somewhere else in the hospital. Vogler's happy and you can date her. Best of both worlds!_

She's too good a doctor. I was thinking I'd let Chase go.

_Well, you do have a point. You can't trust him anymore. I'd be willing to bet that he's counting on Vogler to save his job though. You probably can't fire him._

So maybe your plan will work. Nobody says I can't call her in for the occasional consult.

_There's just one thing._

What? Now that you've given me the idea you're telling me it's no good?

_Vogler hates you. He'll probably get her out of the hospital just to spite you._

Well shit.

_My thoughts exactly._

I need a drink.

_So do I. Make it a double. Oh, and feed the fish on your way past._

Damn, are they still alive? Why couldn't Stacy have taken it when she left? The damned thing was her idea in the first place!

_There are only three left. They can't last forever._

Says you.

_You could just stop feeding them and let them die._

Whilst I know the Hippocratic oath does not extend to aquatic life, I just can't murder three innocent fish.

_You are so odd._

If I am, then you are too.

_You're the one talking to yourself._

And you're answering. Pot? Kettle?

_Fine, I'll stop then. You can just figure out Dr. Cameron on your own._

Thank you. So much.

End Chapter 2.

_So, whatcha think? Should I continue? Constructive criticism/glowing reviews welcomed. Flames will be shared with friends, mocked and laughed at._

_Note to Aridane: You bring up a good point. Just pretend that line read: "I was just getting ready to go in with a patient."_


	3. Achilles Heel

_Once again, I thank you for all your reviews! _

_Note to benny: God as my witness, I did NOT mean that last chapter to be a dialogue like that. But it was 4 o'clock in the morning and the stupid thing kind of got a bit out of hand. I admit I do tend to rely on dialogue a lot, maybe I shoulda been a scriptwriter._

_Either way, glad you guys seemed to like it._

_Warnings: Never get your hair cut at a salon located next to a wig shop. Don't run with scissors. And put your coat on! You'll catch your death of cold (sorry…Jewish Mother syndrome. I have no kids, so it kinda creeps up occasionally)!_

_One last thing…My power went out and I was unable to see, let alone tape the episode 'Role Model,' so for all intents and purposes of this story, the episode doesn't exist. Yeah, it's a cop-out. Deal with it. :-D_

Cameron sighed as she stared through the microscope. It had been more than three days since her confrontation of House in the lobby of the hospital and he was practicing the art of how not to be seen. In fact, he didn't really need the practice. He was already very good at it.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she unconsciously straightened. Someone was in the room with her. She turned around to find Edward Vogler standing there with his arms crossed.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," he said solicitously.

"Not a bit," she said with a politeness she hoped wasn't too obviously false.

As she stood up, she suddenly felt like the proverbial mouse in the lion's den. God knew Vogler was the size of a lion…and just as dangerous.

"What can I do for you Mr. Vogler?"

"I think I've mentioned that I've asked Dr. House to fire somebody. Why shouldn't it be you?"

"Yes, why shouldn't it? Do you want me to beg for my job? Is that it?" she drew herself up to her full height and looked him straight in the eye.

He was impressed. This one wasn't the scared little kitten that he'd first pegged her to be. No wonder House had a thing for her.

"I don't expect you to beg for your job. I would however, like an explanation for something though?"

Cameron looked at him expectantly.

"You knew about the ipecac before the committee meeting, yet you did nothing to stop it. Why?"

Cameron blinked in surprise. She was not expecting this.

"What?"

"Dr. Chase informed me that you were aware of the problem with that woman's transplant eligibility and yet you did nothing to stop the meeting. Why?"

"I…I…I…"

"You do know you could lose your license for such a lapse in judgment, don't you?"

"You're kidding, right?" Cameron was indignant at this point. "Chase had the bottle of ipecac, I was going in with a patient and you're asking ME why I didn't stop the meeting? Where do you get off…"

"I AM Chairman of the Board," he said.

"Only because you bought your way in."

Vogler shrugged one massive shoulder. "It worked, didn't it?"

"What do you want?"

"I want to get rid of Dr. House. Simple as that. He doesn't respect me. I don't like people who don't respect me, so I get rid of them."

"You can't just fire him, you know."

"I know. What I don't know is this: he treats everyone here like dirt. Why is everyone so hell-bent on keeping him?"

"Because even though his bedside manner sucks and he's still bitter about his leg and he refuses to let anyone get near him, he's the best damned doctor this hospital has ever seen! Sure, he flouts authority when it suits him and he can be a real bastard a lot of the time, but no one in this hospital can hold a candle to his talent and this hospital is god-damned lucky to have him!"

"Interesting," Vogler murmured. "I want to see you in my office before you leave today."

"Great," Cameron said to herself. "Guess I better start packing."

She didn't see House standing by the door, where he had heard every word she said.

"Quite a fan you've got there, Doctor," Vogler's voice interrupted his reverie.

"What do you want?" House growled and started limping away, anger oozing from every fiber of his being.

"She's it, isn't she?"

Pasting a nonchalant look on his face and hoping the answer didn't show in his eyes, he said, "She's what? A good doctor? A great lay? A lousy cook? I can only answer the first one with any authority and that answer's yes."

"Your Achilles Heel," Vogler looked smug.

House didn't let the panic he felt show on his face (a fact he was ridiculously proud of himself for). He gave Vogler a look that would've frozen hell itself before turning and limping away with all the dignity he could muster.

_To be continued_


	4. Cameron in the Lion

_Well…they got rid of Vogler. Now, whilst I'm exceedingly glad he's gone, it was kinda anticlimactic. I've got a much more fun way to do it. Unfortunately, I'm not gonna do it in this chapter. So stick with me kiddies… _

_Also, since in this story, 'Role Model' didn't happen, I have to explain her absence somehow (well, not really…it just fits what I want to do). This is it._

Cameron sat nervously in front of Vogler's massive desk and tried not to throw up. She knew that not only did the big man controlled her future at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, but the rest of her medical career as well. Since the Chairman of the Board was not there yet_ (probably intentionally making me wait, she thought to herself),_ she contented herself with studying the office itself.

Covered with bookshelves stuffed with pretentious-looking volumes, and a large mahogany desk with an even larger black leather chair, it was like any high-powered executive's office except that it was smaller than one would expect – almost as if Vogler was only given half of an executive office.

'_A man that size would have a problem in half an executive washroom,' _she thought to herself and stifled a giggle at the mental image.

She was looking at a photo on his desk of a large cruise ship when his voice behind her made her jump.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Dr. Cameron," Vogler said as he eased his bulk into his chair. "I see you were looking at my yacht."

"Yacht? That's a cruise ship!" she spluttered, as she tried to get her bearings against this man.

"Yacht, cruise ship, what's the difference?" he said rhetorically. "I own the line. It's more profitable than trying to keep a yacht."

"You own a cruise line?"

He shrugged, "Actually, that's why I summoned you to my office. I need you to do me a favor."

"Uh, what favor?"

He shuffled around the in-box on his desk before pulling out a letter.

"I need a doctor on one of my boats for a few weeks while the regular one goes on maternity leave."

"Say what?"

"You heard me. I want you to be my ship's doctor for the next two months or so. By that time either the new mother will return or I'll have found a permanent replacement by then. Think of it as a working vacation. Dramamine can handle 99 percent of all your cases. You'll have two other doctors trading shifts with you, so you can sightsee and have some fun too."

She stared at him, trying to read some ulterior motive into this apparent gift. His face remained pleasantly blank. She sighed and realized she'd have to ask.

"I know this may be looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I have to know. Why me? Earlier today, not only were you ready to fire me, but you were also threatening to strip my license. What's the deal?"

The pleasantly blank expression got even more pleasant and blank.

"I got to thinking after I received this letter that I might need an immunologist on the boat, what with all those people getting sick on cruise ships and having you gone will tick off House. Two birds with one stone."

"There hasn't been a ship outbreak in months!"

"Better safe than sorry."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you'll be the one from House's team that I fire and I look into stripping your license."

"That's blackmail!"

"That's effective. So, shall I have my secretary make your travel arrangements? Or should she draft the AMA complaint?"

"When do I leave?" Cameron slumped into the chair in defeat.

"Three days ought to give you enough time to pack. You do have your passport or at least a birth certificate, right?"

Cameron nodded sullenly.

"Well, you go on home and start preparing. You have the next three days off. I'll courier the tickets and other documents within the next couple days."

Cameron got up slowly and left Vogler's inner sanctum. As she headed out of the outer office, she caught sight of House pacing the hallway. As he swung around to make another pass, their eyes met and he stopped dead – the question unmistakable in his eyes.

"I'm not fired…exactly," she said with a shrug.

"What the hell does that mean?"

_To be continued…_


	5. Of Course You Know, This Means War

_May I just say I am SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY! My muse and I haven't been on speaking terms for quite some time. Due to my work schedule, I haven't seen much of the 2nd season (freakin' 2nd shift…), but the one ep I DID manage to see (post-Stacy, no less) was pretty good still…Anyway, getting on w/ the story._

Vogler watched Cameron walk away with House for a moment before turning to his secretary. "Make all the necessary arrangements for Dr. Cameron to take over Dr. Mackay on the Sunship. Also, bring me that medical board complaint I had you draft earlier, I'd like to review it before submitting it."

"Um…sir?" the secretary hesitated. "I thought you weren't…"

"Are you questioning my judgment Linda? I'm sure the temp agency can find me someone fairly quickly who will do what I ask. Now then, don't you have some travel arrangements to make?"

"Yes sir," Linda answered through gritted teeth as she handed him the requested document.

"Oh, and one more thing," Vogler turned to her with a pleasant smile. "Not a word of this to House or his team or it's your job, understand?"

"Perfectly," Linda gritted her teeth harder as she turned to phone the airlines.

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"So he's sending you on a cruise?" House looked at Cameron incredulously. "To make me suffer he's sending you on a cruise?"

The two of them sat alone at a small table in the Starbucks across the street from the hospital. The place was practically deserted that time of night and both knew ordering decaf would've been the smarter idea…had they been thinking about it at the time.

"That's what he said." Cameron answered as she fiddled with her coffee cup.

House studied her. There was obviously something else to this deal that she hadn't told him.

"You wanna tell me what else he said?"

Cameron wouldn't make eye contact as she shook her head.

"Allison," House said gently, making her look up in surprise. "What? I DO know your first name. You wanna tell me what he did to you? Or do I have to go ask him myself?"

"I've always spent my life trying to find good in people, you know? No one is irredeemable. I mean I get irritated with people; everyone does, but I believe inherently, most people are good. But I gotta tell you, he is really testing my belief in that theory."

"That's as close as I think I've ever heard you come to saying you hate someone," House said in amazement. "What the hell did he to do you already?"

And so she told him.

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"SON OF A BITCH!" House shouted to no one in particular as he arrived back at his home. He slammed the front door so hard that the whole wall shook.

The fact that Vogler hated him and would do anything to get rid of him was something he was prepared to deal with. Much as he disliked the man, he enjoyed the challenge of staying one step ahead of him. Wilson had warned him that Vogler wasn't one to trifle with and House had blown off his warnings. But now he was threatening his team - not just his ducklings, but his favorite (not that he'd ever admit that to her face of course…).

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and tried to talk himself into the fact that at least this way Cameron would be out of the line of fire for a while. She agreed to take this assignment so he wouldn't have her stripped of her license_. 'Not that he could with such a flimsy case anyway'_ House thought to himself before his devil's advocate piped up, _'Then again, he's got enough money he could probably buy himself a medical license if he wanted one.'_

House limped over to pour himself a scotch. As he raised it to his lips, he said, "Of course you know; this means war."

To be continued…

_Yes, I know there could've been more to the Starbucks scene…I just couldn't get House's snarkiness balanced w/ the situation…so I copped out. Hopefully you won't have to wait so long for the rest of this…_


End file.
